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Vera
Verbal Flashcards

Tones are the part that only fixes out loud.

Vocabulary and tone accuracy drilled by HSK level.

You know the word and the tone is wrong, which makes it a different word.

What Vera actually is

A phone call with someone who is not there. You say the thing out loud, they answer the way a real person would, and you get to do it again — as many times as it takes, with nobody listening.

1She calls youA real phone call, about ten seconds after you tap. Lock screen, headphones, car — wherever you take calls.
2She plays the other personNot a coach reading tips. HSK Vocabulary & Tone Drilling, with someone on the other end who answers back.
3She pushes when you are vagueFollow-up questions, interruptions when you ramble, and a straight read at the end on what landed.
Start HSK Drilling

15 minutes free · no card needed

Start HSK Drilling

15 minutes free · no card needed

“What if I am bad at it?”Everyone is, on the first one. That is the entire reason it happens here and not there.
“What if I do not know what to say?”She asks first and follows up on whatever you answer. You never start from a blank page.
“What if it is awkward?”It is, for about twenty seconds. Then it is a conversation, and nobody heard the twenty seconds.

Not practising doesn’t save you anything.

The ticket, the evening, the weeks of applying — all of it is spent before anyone says a word. The practice is the only cheap part, and the only part that changes how the rest goes.

Start HSK Drilling

15 minutes free · no card needed

What she'll actually ask

She asks these the way a real person would, then follows up on whatever you say.

  1. Say this word with the correct tones.
  2. That was third tone, not second. Again.
  3. Use it in a sentence.
  4. What is the measure word for this noun?
  5. Which of these two words fits here, and why?
More about this one

Tone errors are invisible in silent study and immediately consequential when speaking, because a wrong tone is often a different word entirely. Since most HSK preparation happens through reading and typing, tones tend to be the weakest link even for candidates with large vocabularies. Vera drills vocabulary aloud by level and flags tone errors as they happen.

What she listens for

Tone accuracyThe error type that silent study cannot surface at all.
Measure wordsFrequently tested and routinely skipped in self-study.
Near-synonymsChoosing between similar words is a standard HSK question type.
  • HSK
  • tone accuracy
  • measure words
  • vocabulary by level
  • HSK 4
  • pinyin
  • near-synonyms
  • Mandarin practice
“I had studied for a year without saying anything out loud. My tones were wrong on words I have known for months.”
Wen L.

Related practice

JLPT Vocabulary & Kanji DrillingKanji readings and vocabulary drilled aloud by level.DELE Oral Exam PracticeStructured Spanish speaking practice in the exam format.IELTS Speaking PracticeAll three parts practiced in the format, on an actual call.TOEFL Speaking PracticeTemplates and timing drilled until the clock stops mattering.

Common questions

Can it really hear my tones?

It picks up clear tone errors reliably. For fine pronunciation work, a teacher is still better.

Which levels?

Name the HSK level and it will keep the vocabulary in scope.

Does this help the writing section?

Indirectly — vocabulary recall improves, though character writing needs handwriting practice.

What if I am bad at it?

Everyone is, on the first one. That is the entire reason it happens here and not there.

What if I do not know what to say?

She asks the first question and follows up on whatever you answer. You never start from a blank page.

What if it is awkward?

It is, for about twenty seconds. Then it is a conversation, and nobody heard the twenty seconds.

Ready to try it?

Your first 15 minutes are free. No card required.

Start HSK Drilling